Conche stone spotted at Monchy-Le-Preux

A stone remembering Cpl. Bernard Morris of Conche, who lost his life in World War I, was found at the Moncy-Le-Preux Memorial in France this summer.

A stone honouring a fallen Conche war hero was spotted recently at the Monchy-Le-Preux Memorial in France.

Peter Morris, Special Assistant (Strategic Communications) to the Office of the Premier, initially spotted the stone during a Trail of the Caribou pilgrimage with members of the provincial branch of the Legion and high school students in June and July.
The stone prominently displays the carved out name of Corporal Bernard Carroll of Conche.
According to Morris, you will often find pebbles left at the headstones, typically by families of the fallen, of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who were buried in the Commonwealth War Graves World War I cemeteries. However, what made this stone unique was that it was placed at the memorial in Monchy-Le-Preux.
“I just thought, ‘wow that’s neat,’” he said.”
According to him, it sits on the bricks on the side of the monument.
“Whoever did this put a lot of thought into it,” said Morris.
He took a photo and tweeted it out, leaving the stone as the person who placed it there likely would have desired. Corporal Bernard Carroll, of the First Battalion, Newfoundland Regiment, was killed in action on April 14, 1917 at the age of 24. His parents were Dan and Elizabeth Carroll also of Conche. He enlisted on October 13, 1915 and had received a Military Medal for bravery in the field. According to a report from the London Gazette: “On October 12th, 1916, after a successful attack on German trenches north of Gueudecourt he displayed great gallantry to go out and aid the wounded in the open under a very heavy fire. By his action he undoubtedly saved several wounded men.”
He has no known grave as his body was never recovered.
If you placed the stone at the location, or know who did, the Northern Pen encourages you to reach out to us.

stephen.roberts@northernpen.ca

Peter Morris, Special Assistant (Strategic Communications) to the Office of the Premier, initially spotted the stone during a Trail of the Caribou pilgrimage with members of the provincial branch of the Legion and high school students in June and July.
The stone prominently displays the carved out name of Corporal Bernard Carroll of Conche.
According to Morris, you will often find pebbles left at the headstones, typically by families of the fallen, of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who were buried in the Commonwealth War Graves World War I cemeteries. However, what made this stone unique was that it was placed at the memorial in Monchy-Le-Preux.
“I just thought, ‘wow that’s neat,’” he said.”
According to him, it sits on the bricks on the side of the monument.
“Whoever did this put a lot of thought into it,” said Morris.
He took a photo and tweeted it out, leaving the stone as the person who placed it there likely would have desired. Corporal Bernard Carroll, of the First Battalion, Newfoundland Regiment, was killed in action on April 14, 1917 at the age of 24. His parents were Dan and Elizabeth Carroll also of Conche. He enlisted on October 13, 1915 and had received a Military Medal for bravery in the field. According to a report from the London Gazette: “On October 12th, 1916, after a successful attack on German trenches north of Gueudecourt he displayed great gallantry to go out and aid the wounded in the open under a very heavy fire. By his action he undoubtedly saved several wounded men.”
He has no known grave as his body was never recovered.
If you placed the stone at the location, or know who did, the Northern Pen encourages you to reach out to us.